Projected synthetic vision

ABSTRACT

Projected synthetic vision methods, systems and computer readable media are disclosed. For example, a system can include one or more sensors, a terrain database, and a projected synthetic vision controller coupled to the one or more sensors and the terrain database, the projected synthetic vision controller configured to generate and project synthetic vision images based on aircraft position, terrain information and aviator boresight information. The system can also include one or more projectors coupled to the projected synthetic vision controller.

Some implementations relate generally to display systems for aircraftand, more particularly, to methods, systems and computer readable mediafor projected synthetic vision.

Rotary wing aircraft (and tilt rotor aircraft such as the V-22 Osprey)are routinely required to approach and land at sites without navigationguidance and/or in limited visibility conditions. Often the topography,ground hazards, obstacles and weather in the area are unknown orchanging. Upon arrival at a landing or hover site, the pilot typicallymakes critical judgments based on incomplete or inaccurate data in orderto determine the proper procedure to approach and land. If the terraincondition is such that dust, snow, sand, or the like will be stirred byrotor downwash, the aircraft may become engulfed in a cloud ofvisually-restrictive material. This is commonly referred to as adegraded visual environment (DVE) or a “brownout/whiteout” situation.

Spatial disorientation in a DVE is a common cause of incidents accordingto some literature reviews, pilot interviews, and military incidentreports. During approach to hover and landing, the pilot may manipulatethe aircraft controls to conduct a constant deceleration of longitudinalvelocity while coordinating a rate of descent to the ground (or hoverpoint) in such a way as to arrive with little or no forward velocity anda low rate of descent. In these DVE situations, it may be helpful for apilot to have a display showing a synthetic (or computer generated)image of what the exterior surroundings would like without the visualinterference.

In a DVE, such as instrument meteorological conditions (IMC) orbrownout/whiteout situations, a pilot may be denied his/her visual cues.Some implementations were conceived in light of the above-mentionedproblems and limitations, among other things.

Some implementations can include a system having one or more sensors, aterrain database. The system can also include a projected syntheticvision controller coupled to the one or more sensors and the terraindatabase, the projected synthetic vision controller configured togenerate and project synthetic vision images based on vehicle position,terrain information and vehicle operator boresight information, and oneor more projectors coupled to the projected synthetic vision controller.

The vehicle can include an aircraft and the sensors can include one ormore of a radar altimeter, an air data system, an inertial navigationsystem, a traffic alert and collision avoidance system, an EnhancedGround Proximity Warning System (EGPWS)/Controlled Flight Into Terrain(CFIT) system, a Global Positioning System (GPS) receiver, aDifferential Global Positioning System (DGPS) receiver, a microwaveradar, a forward looking infrared (FLIR) camera, and/or a video camera.The terrain data can include one or more of natural terrain features,vegetation, and manmade structures.

The one or more projectors can be configured to display images onto adiffractive holographic member. The one or more projectors eachcorrespond to a window of the vehicle. The vehicle can include one of aland vehicle, a surface water vessel, an underwater vessel, an aircraftand a spacecraft. The projected synthetic vision controller isconfigured to receive vehicle operator boresight information and toadjust generated synthetic vision images based on the vehicle operatorboresight information.

Some implementations can include a system comprising one or more sensorsand a projected synthetic vision system coupled to the one or moresensors (or information sources) and configured to selectively projectan image (e.g., a diffractive holographic image) on an inside surface ofone or more cockpit window surfaces.

Some implementations can include a system having one or more sensors, aterrain database, and a projected synthetic vision controller coupled tothe one or more sensors and the terrain database, the projectedsynthetic vision controller configured to generate and project syntheticvision images based on aircraft position, terrain information andaviator boresight information. The system can also include one or moreprojectors coupled to the projected synthetic vision controller.

The sensors can include one or more of a radar altimeter, an air datasystem, an inertial navigation system, a traffic alert and collisionavoidance system, an Enhanced Ground Proximity Warning System(EGPWS)/Controlled Flight Into Terrain (CFIT) system, a GlobalPositioning System (GPS) receiver, a Differential Global PositioningSystem (DGPS) receiver, a microwave radar, a forward looking infrared(FLIR) camera, and/or a video camera.

The terrain data can include one or more of natural terrain features,vegetation, and manmade structures. The one or more projectors can beconfigured to display images onto a diffractive holographic member. Theone or more projectors can each correspond to a cockpit window of anaircraft. The aircraft can be a helicopter. The projected syntheticvision controller is configured to receive aviator boresight informationand to adjust generated synthetic vision images based on the aviatorboresight information.

Some implementations can include a method including obtaining, at aprocessor, position information from one or more sensors and retrieving,at the processor, terrain information from a terrain database based onthe position information. The method can also include obtaining, at theprocessor, aviator boresight information. The method can further includegenerating, using the processor, one or more synthetic vision imagesbased on the position information, terrain information and aviatorboresight information. The method can also include projecting the one ormore synthetic vision images, via one or more projectors, onto adiffractive holographic member of a corresponding aircraft window.

The one or more sensors can include one or more of a radar altimeter, anair data system, an inertial navigation system, a traffic alert andcollision avoidance system, an Enhanced Ground Proximity Warning System(EGPWS)/Controlled Flight Into Terrain (CFIT) system, a GlobalPositioning System (GPS) receiver, a Differential Global PositioningSystem (DGPS) receiver, a microwave radar, a forward looking infrared(FLIR) camera, and/or a video camera. The terrain data can include oneor more of natural terrain features, vegetation, and manmade structures.

The one or more projectors can be configured to display images onto adiffractive holographic member. The one or more projectors can eachcorrespond to a cockpit window of an aircraft. The aircraft can be ahelicopter. The projected synthetic vision controller can be configuredto adjust the generated synthetic vision images based on the aviatorboresight information.

Some implementations can include a nontransitory computer readablemedium having stored thereon software instructions that, when executed,cause a processor to perform operations. The operations can includeobtaining, at a processor, position information from one or more sensorsand retrieving, at the processor, terrain information from a terraindatabase based on the position information. The operations can alsoinclude obtaining, at the processor, aviator boresight information andgenerating, using the processor, one or more synthetic vision imagesbased on the position information, terrain information and aviatorboresight information. The operations can further include projecting theone or more synthetic vision images, via one or more projectors, onto adiffractive holographic member of a corresponding aircraft window.

The one or more sensors can include one or more of a radar altimeter, anair data system, an inertial navigation system, a traffic alert andcollision avoidance system, an Enhanced Ground Proximity Warning System(EGPWS)/Controlled Flight Into Terrain (CFIT) system, a GlobalPositioning System (GPS) receiver, a Differential Global PositioningSystem (DGPS) receiver, a microwave radar, a forward looking infrared(FLIR) camera, and/or a video camera. The terrain data includes one ormore of natural terrain features, vegetation, and manmade structures.

The one or more projectors can be configured to display images onto adiffractive holographic member. The one or more projectors can eachcorrespond to a cockpit window of a helicopter. The projected syntheticvision controller is configured to adjust the generated synthetic visionimages based on the aviator boresight information.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 shows a diagram of an example projected synthetic vision systemin accordance with some implementations.

FIG. 2 shows a flow chart of an example method for projected syntheticvision in accordance with some implementations.

FIG. 3 is a diagram of an example aircraft cockpit including a projectedsynthetic vision system in accordance with some implementations.

FIG. 4 is a diagram of an example computing system for projectedsynthetic vision in accordance with some implementations.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

While examples are discussed in terms of aircraft, such as rotary wingaircraft, it will be appreciated that implementations can be configuredfor use with other vehicles. In general, an embodiment can be configuredfor use on land vehicles (e.g., cars, trucks, motorcycles, all terrainvehicles, hovercraft, trains, remote exploration vehicles, undergroundvehicles and the like), surface water vessels (e.g., boats, ships,personal watercraft and the like), underwater vessels (submarines,submersibles, remote operated vehicles (ROVs) and the like), aircraft(e.g., airplanes, helicopters, vertical takeoff and landing aircraft(VTOLs), short take off and landing (STOL) aircraft, lighter-than-airvessels, dirigibles, blimps, gliders, unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs)and the like) and spacecraft (e.g., rockets, orbiters, space stationsand the like).

FIG. 1 shows a diagram of an example projected synthetic vision systemin accordance with some implementations. The system 100 includes one ormore position sensor systems 102, a terrain database 104, a projectedsynthetic vision system 106 and one or more projectors 108.

In operation, the position sensor systems 102 generate positioninformation, which is transmitted to the projected synthetic visionsystem 106. The sensor systems 102 can include, for example, one or moreof a radar altimeter, an air data system, an inertial navigation system,a traffic alert and collision avoidance system, an Enhanced GroundProximity Warning System (EGPWS)/Controlled Flight Into Terrain (CFIT)system, a digital map, a terrain database, a Global Positioning System(GPS) receiver, a Differential Global Positioning System (DGPS)receiver, a microwave radar, a forward looking infrared (FLIR) camera,and/or a video camera. In addition to the above-mentioned examplesensors, traditional avionics instruments (altimeter, vertical speedindicator, compass, air speed indicator or the like) could also beincluded in the sensor system 102.

The projected synthetic vision system 106 uses the received positioninformation to determine the location and attitude of the aircraft. Forexample, the projected synthetic vision system 106 can use the location,altitude and/or attitude in one or more axes such as fore/aft, lateral,heading, altitude, yaw, pitch and/or roll along with terrain informationfrom the terrain database 104 to generate a synthetic vision image. Thegenerated synthetic vision image can be adjusted (or boresighted) to thepilot's eyesight level out of the cockpit. Thus, an implementation caninclude a boresighted projected synthetic vision display that providesan artificial visual reference that is congruous with the actual horizonand/or terrain location in the aviator's line of sight. This can permitbetter mental fusion of the subconscious with the cognitively processedinformation from the other flight displays.

The projected synthetic vision system 106 can send one or more syntheticvision images to one or more corresponding projectors 108. Each imagecan be generated according to which cockpit window the image will bedisplayed on and the image can then be sent to a projector correspondingto that window.

FIG. 2 shows a flow chart of an example method for projected syntheticvision in accordance with some implementations. Processing begins at202, where position (or other) information is obtained. For example,position information from one or more sensors (e.g., 102) can beobtained by a projected synthetic vision system (e.g., 106). Theinformation can include flight information such as location, velocity,height above ground, groundspeed, ground track, wind direction, windspeed, location of a landing/hover zone, location of other aircraft,aircraft performance, or the like. Processing continues to 204.

At 204, the system retrieves terrain data based on the positioninformation obtained in step 202. For example, the system can retrieveterrain information for the portion of terrain that would be visible toan aviator in the aircraft cockpit. The terrain information can includenatural terrain features (e.g., mountains or other land features, lakes,rivers, oceans or other water features), vegetation, and/or manmadestructures (e.g., roads, buildings, bridges and the like). The terraindatabase can also include digital map data. The types of terraininformation displayed in the synthetic vision images can be selected byan operator. Processing continues to 206.

At 206, the system generates one or more synthetic vision images. Thesynthetic vision images can be based on a combination of one or more ofposition/flight information, terrain database information and aviatorline of sight/boresight information. Processing continues to 208.

At 208, the synthetic images are projected onto an interior surface ofone or more corresponding aircraft windows. It will be appreciated that202-208 can be repeated in whole or in part in order to accomplish acontemplated projected synthetic vision task.

FIG. 3 is a diagram of an example aircraft cockpit 300 having aprojected synthetic vision system (e.g., 100) in accordance with someimplementations. In particular, the cockpit 300 includes a projector 302disposed so as to be able to project a synthetic vision image onto aninterior surface of a corresponding window 304. It will be appreciatedthat the same projector 302 or different projectors (not shown) can beconfigured to project images onto other windows 306-308. The projectedsynthetic vision images can augment the avionics/instrument displays 310in DVE situations or night flight operations.

The windows (304-308) can include diffractive holographic elements thatpermit an aviator to see through the window when the projected syntheticvision system is not in use and permit the synthetic vision images tobecome visible when the projected synthetic vision system is in use.

The projected synthetic vision system can be adapted for use on anaircraft including a fixed-wing aircraft, a rotary wing aircraft, a tiltrotor aircraft or the like.

FIG. 4 is a diagram of an example computing device for synthetic visionprojection in accordance with some implementations. The computing device400 includes a processor 402, an operating system 404, a memory 406 andan I/O interface 408. The memory 406 can store a projected syntheticvision application 410 and position and/or terrain data 412.

In operation, the processor 402 may execute the projected syntheticvision application 410 stored in the memory 406. The projected syntheticvision application 410 can include software instructions that, whenexecuted by the processor 402, cause the processor 402 to performoperations for projected synthetic vision in accordance with the presentdisclosure (e.g., the projected synthetic vision application 410 cancause the processor to perform one or more of steps 202-208 described).The projected synthetic vision application 410 can also operate inconjunction with the operating system 404.

The computer (e.g., 400) can include, but is not limited to, a singleprocessor system, a multi-processor system (co-located or distributed),a cloud computing system, or a combination of the above.

A network can connect the sensors, the projected synthetic vision systemand the indicators. The network can be a wired or wireless network, andcan include, but is not limited to, an aircraft signal bus, a WiFinetwork, a local area network, a wide area network, the Internet, or acombination of the above.

The data storage, memory and/or nontransitory computer readable mediumcan be a magnetic storage device (hard disk drive or the like), opticalstorage device (CD, DVD or the like), electronic storage device (RAM,ROM, flash, or the like). The software instructions can also becontained in, and provided as, an electronic signal, for example in theform of software as a service (SaaS) delivered from a server (e.g., adistributed system and/or a cloud computing system).

Moreover, some implementations of the disclosed method, system, andcomputer readable media can be implemented in software (e.g., as acomputer program product and/or nontransitory computer readable mediahaving stored instructions for performing one or more projectedsynthetic vision tasks as described herein). The stored softwareinstructions can be executed on a programmed general purpose computer, aspecial purpose computer, a microprocessor, or the like.

The computing device 400 can be a standalone computing device or adevice incorporated in another system, such as an avionics system orflight computer.

It is, therefore, apparent that there is provided, in accordance withthe various implementations disclosed herein, methods, systems andcomputer readable media for projected synthetic vision.

While the invention has been described in conjunction with a number ofembodiments, it is evident that many alternatives, modifications andvariations would be or are apparent to those of ordinary skill in theapplicable arts. Accordingly, Applicant intends to embrace all suchalternatives, modifications, equivalents and variations that are withinthe spirit and scope of the invention.

What is claimed is:
 1. A system comprising: one or more sensors; aterrain database; a projected synthetic vision controller coupled to theone or more sensors and the terrain database, the projected syntheticvision controller configured to generate and project synthetic visionimages based on vehicle position, terrain information and vehicleoperator boresight information; and one or more projectors coupled tothe projected synthetic vision controller.
 2. The system of claim 1,wherein the vehicle includes an aircraft and the sensors include one ormore of a radar altimeter, an air data system, an inertial navigationsystem, a traffic alert and collision avoidance system, an EnhancedGround Proximity Warning System (EGPWS)/Controlled Flight Into Terrain(CFIT) system, a Global Positioning System (GPS) receiver, aDifferential Global Positioning System (DGPS) receiver, a microwaveradar, a forward looking infrared (FLIR) camera, and/or a video camera.3. The system of claim 1, wherein the terrain data includes one or moreof natural terrain features, vegetation, and manmade structures.
 4. Thesystem of claim 1, wherein the one or more projectors are configured todisplay images onto a diffractive holographic member.
 5. The system ofclaim 1, wherein the one or more projectors each correspond to a windowof the vehicle.
 6. The system of claim 5, wherein the vehicle includesone of a land vehicle, a surface water vessel, an underwater vessel, anaircraft and a spacecraft.
 7. The system of claim 5, wherein theprojected synthetic vision controller is configured to receive vehicleoperator boresight information and to adjust generated synthetic visionimages based on the vehicle operator boresight information.
 8. A methodcomprising: obtaining, at a processor, position information from one ormore sensors; retrieving, at the processor, terrain information from aterrain database based on the position information; obtaining, at theprocessor, aviator boresight information; generating, using theprocessor, one or more synthetic vision images based on the positioninformation, terrain information and aviator boresight information; andprojecting the one or more synthetic vision images, via one or moreprojectors, onto a diffractive holographic member of a correspondingaircraft window.
 9. The method of claim 8, wherein the one or moresensors include one or more of a radar altimeter, an air data system, aninertial navigation system, a traffic alert and collision avoidancesystem, an Enhanced Ground Proximity Warning System (EGPWS)/ControlledFlight Into Terrain (CFIT) system, a Global Positioning System (GPS)receiver, a Differential Global Positioning System (DGPS) receiver, amicrowave radar, a forward looking infrared (FLIR) camera, and/or avideo camera.
 10. The method of claim 8, wherein the terrain dataincludes one or more of natural terrain features, vegetation, andmanmade structures.
 11. The method of claim 8, wherein the one or moreprojectors are configured to display images onto a diffractiveholographic member.
 12. The method of claim 8, wherein the one or moreprojectors each correspond to a cockpit window of an aircraft.
 13. Themethod of claim 12, wherein the aircraft is a helicopter.
 14. The methodof claim 8, wherein the projected synthetic vision controller isconfigured to adjust the generated synthetic vision images based on theaviator boresight information.
 15. A nontransitory computer readablemedium having stored thereon software instructions that, when executed,cause a processor to perform operations including: obtaining, at aprocessor, position information from one or more sensors; retrieving, atthe processor, terrain information from a terrain database based on theposition information; obtaining, at the processor, aviator boresightinformation; generating, using the processor, one or more syntheticvision images based on the position information, terrain information andaviator boresight information; and projecting the one or more syntheticvision images, via one or more projectors, onto a diffractiveholographic member of a corresponding aircraft window.
 16. Thenontransitory computer readable medium of claim 15, wherein the one ormore sensors include one or more of a radar altimeter, an air datasystem, an inertial navigation system, a traffic alert and collisionavoidance system, an Enhanced Ground Proximity Warning System(EGPWS)/Controlled Flight Into Terrain (CFIT) system, a GlobalPositioning System (GPS) receiver, a Differential Global PositioningSystem (DGPS) receiver, a microwave radar, a forward looking infrared(FLIR) camera, and/or a video camera.
 17. The nontransitory computerreadable medium of claim 15, wherein the terrain data includes one ormore of natural terrain features, vegetation, and manmade structures.18. The nontransitory computer readable medium of claim 15, wherein theone or more projectors are configured to display images onto adiffractive holographic member.
 19. The nontransitory computer readablemedium of claim 15, wherein the one or more projectors each correspondto a cockpit window of a helicopter.
 20. The nontransitory computerreadable medium of claim 15, wherein the projected synthetic visioncontroller is configured to adjust the generated synthetic vision imagesbased on the aviator boresight information.